Halloween on Halloween
by Just Funning
Summary: A man goes to an outdoor showing of his favorite horror movie, Halloween, being held on a college campus. The young people who join him have no respect for the film, loudly making fun of it. Perhaps it's time Michael Myers stepped off the screen and taught them some respect...


I don't own _Halloween_ or any of the characters therein.

HALLOWEEN ON HALLOWEEN

About ten minutes into the movie, Kevin started to think maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to come tonight.

Earlier in the week when he'd seen the post on the college's Facebook page that they were going to be holding an outside screening of Carpenter's classic _Halloween_ on Halloween night, Kevin had been excited in a way he hadn't been since childhood. _Halloween_ was his absolute favorite horror film, a true masterpiece of suspense and tension. However, he'd been born a little too late to have ever had the pleasure of seeing it on the big screen so this was his chance. No way would he miss it.

He'd arrived on campus at quarter to nine, fifteen minutes before the film was expected to start. They had set everything up on the north end of the main quad, just in front of the administration building. The screen was strung up in an inflatable frame, and next to the screen were a couple of students manning a ticket booth as well as a popcorn machine and cooler full of sodas. Kevin paid his five bucks, which got him a ticket, a comically small bag of popcorn, and a Sprite. The night was a bit chilly, and holding the drink wasn't helping. He'd brought along his good jacket, but now he wished he'd brought his gloves as well.

Looking around, he was surprised by the small turnout. He seemed to be the only person from the community who had shown up, and less than a dozen students milled about. Then again, more students could always wander over closer to nine. They did live right on campus after all.

But as it turned out, he was wrong. By the time the movie began, the audience consisted of just Kevin and ten students on folding chairs that had been provided. Kevin had come prepared with his own canvas lawn chair complete with cup-holder. He settled in, bundling his hands in the jacket's deep pockets, and felt excitement thrumming through him like an electrical current.

That excitement was dampened rather quickly when the mocking started. Throughout the entire steady-cam opening, the kids were laughing and cat-calling at the screen, even throwing kernels of popcorn. Kevin tried to tune them out, but by the time the movie switched to scenes of Michael Myers escaping from the mental hospital, the jeering had become almost unbearable.

But it was only to get worse. As the movie progressed, introducing the characters and gradually increasing the tension and suspense, Kevin had to endure the college students' raucous laughter and comments about how boring the movie was, how ugly all the actors and actresses were, how stupid the fashions and hair.

This was why Kevin had stopped going to the theater and mostly watched DVDs in the privacy of his own home. And to have them tearing down his favorite movie, just because they were too used to the modern gore-fests that offered nothing in the way of character development or suspense…

By the time Michael was stalking unsuspecting Annie as she babysat little Lindsey Wallace, Kevin was in dire need of a break. He stood up from his chair and hurried down a slight hill to one of the classroom buildings, brightly lit against the night.

Kevin had taken some classes at the college just after high school, before a lack of money had forced him to drop out, so he knew where the bathrooms were. He went inside, splashed cold water on his face, and tried to calm himself.

Why should he be so upset about a bunch of idiot college kids making fun of a movie? Why was he taking it so personally?

Maybe because it made him feel old. In his mid 30s, Kevin wasn't exactly a grampa, but with a shock he realized he was old enough that one of those kids out there could conceivably be his. Of course, he'd have to get a girlfriend first.

When had this happened, when had he gotten old? Listening to the kids out their with their rude and snide comments, their inability to appreciate a film that predated their existence on the planet…he felt he was so close to saying, "These kids today…"

And it filled him with an unexpected anger. He wanted to smack the smarminess right out of them, shake them until they understood they weren't the center of the universe and their dreams weren't going to come true just because they wanted them to. Most of all, he wanted to make them shut the fuck up so he could enjoy the movie.

Suddenly from outside Kevin heard screams. At first he assumed it was from the film, that it had finally reached the point where Michael starting offing annoying teens. But the screams seemed too loud, too numerous. Kevin felt tendrils of fear worming their way around his chest and squeezing like a vise.

Yes, those screams were definitely not from the movie. Something horrible was happening outside. What should he do? Call for help? Go outside to see if he could assist? Indecision paralyzed him, and he just remained in the bathroom until the last screams faded.

Then Kevin was finally able to move again. He walked slowly through the building and out onto the quad. All was quiet now, except for the moving playing on the screen. As he made his way back to his chair, he saw the bodies.

All the students who had been watching the film, as well as the ones who had handed out the tickets and snacks. They were lying on the ground, alone and in clumps, all of them bloody with gaping wounds. Some in the neck, some in the chest, others in the gut. But none were moving.

Floating in a numbed daze, Kevin reached his chair and saw the white mask and gore-streaked butcher knife lying on his seat. Turning his head quickly to the screen, he wondered if Michael had just been staring out as if through a window before turning back and resuming the film.

Kevin reached down and removed the items from his chair, then after a moment he pulled the mask over his head, took his seat, and held the knife in his lap. And resumed watching the film.

That was how the security guard found him when he came by on his rounds.


End file.
